The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

nfrancis wrote:

Lack lustre, maybe.
Over priced , I dont think so .
Under supported by dealers , do you blame them considering the price the NRA charged .
Food, more than last year was available , and again considering what the NRA charged for the food pitches you will never get top flight catering risking the trip to Bisley.

Just look at the history of the Phoenix Show .

When the NPA and a certain Mr C sold out pistol shooters and ran away , the NRA Blazers jumped with joy , “no more pesky pistol shooters” was the feeling .

But a few dedicated people put together a package of competitions to replace Pistol AD .
They risked their own money that we would support them and Shaun Hopwood offered the use of the Pavilion for a trade show, and it is rumoured backed the Phoenix weekend with his own money.

When the NRA backed trade show took place in the NSRA building there was a £5.00 entry charge,
those who went there kicked up such a stink about the set up that they were refunded , and spent their money in the Pavilion.

Shauns only mistake in the past was not insisting that traders who booked tables should be there for the whole 3 days , but he argued that some first class small time dealers could not get the time to spend 3 days at Bisley .

When the NRA got Shaun to surrender his lease, it seemed that they forgot about the trade show and it was thanks to a couple of dealers that the trade show ever took place , even if some aspects of it were a shambles.

This year the tent wasnt bad , at least I could walk up and down without having to fight my way through the crowds . Although I am told that the table costs were almost equal to prime office space rental per square foot , so I wonder how any dealer could make a profit .

What is the future for the show ?

The tent is modular so it can be extended if enough dealers can afford the charges . And it seems there are plans in the pipeline to tarmac or hardcore that whole area and cut down some of the trees so maybe that will reduce the flooding that happened as the dealers were packing up .

So maybe the NRA has realised that the trade show is an essential part of the Phoenix weekend.

Almost all of the content of this post is complete and utter garbage.

bnz41 wrote:I went on Friday to collect powder & primers met Steven Downs who used to be a RFD some years ago but now is retired looked well. Got some great deals from him over the years.